Unfortunately you wont’t find a homeopathic prevention for fleas, ticks or heart worms. They just do not work. Is there a reason your dog cannot be on veterinarian recommended preventatives?

Not natural, but quite safe and highly recommend- simparica trio. We live in the midatlantic, where ticks and snow coexist, so I went all in on preventatives and vaccines.

I personally LOVE seresto collars and it’s what I recommend to everyone. I’ve used them on my dog for the past decade. I feel they’re the safest and most effective form of flea and tick prevention. Maybe you could give it a try? If his allergies are only food related it could possibly work for you!

There aren't any "natural" effective remedies at all that have any evidence supporting them.

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I'm just giving my dog Bravecto every 3months to now take any chances. It's a bit costly though at 2k each time. 🥲

I make my own non-toxic tick spray:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW1d3ZmnRJY

I also make and deploy my own tick tubes. These use permethrin, which is non-toxic to dogs and humans, but toxic to cats and fish. The tubes help target the ticks directly so that you aren't broadcasting permethrin around your property.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhLiRf1rCDk

This approach has drastically reduced the number of ticks found on all members of the household.

Another thing we've done is spray the dogs bed with permthrin. If she comes in with a tick on her, and lays down, that tick will come in contact with the bedding, fall off and die.

There aren't any.

And the risk of harm from tick borne illnesses in particular is far higher than risks of typically-minor side effects. But fleas are no picnic either.

Actual flea and tick medications are emminently safe. Like everything on the planet, there is a small risk of side effects. Half the horror stories on the internet about these meds can be attributed to other things, and the other half are selection bias (because nobody goes on the internet to give a thumbs up to meds that are working as expected).

Give your dog preventatives that work.

I haven’t heard horror stories about the effective, vet prescribed, preventatives. I have heard horror stories about the effects of tick borne diseases on dogs and humans.

The risk of the vet prescribed meds is way less than the risks of TBDs.

How about speaking to your vet about the "chemicals" you're concerned about rather than DIYing it with random bullshit you read on the internet that could hurt your dog.

Unless your dog has e.g. MDR (which is testable for with a simple consumer DNA test if you're really worried), oral preventatives are safe and effective. Your vet can advise you on whether your dog is at risk for an adverse reaction.

Holistic methods are not going to be as effective or predictable as pharmaceutical methods. Full stop.

I’m interested in herbalist therapies myself but only for low stakes issues like minor pains/aches, insomnia and low-grade anxiety. I take doctor-prescribed medication when needed.

My dog is fully vaccinated (except for Lyme, on our vet’s advice) and takes Simparica every month because we’re in a tick zone. She doesn’t see a naturopathic vet, she sees a vet who treats her with allopathic medicines. I could see myself being a little integrative but evidence-based veterinary medicine is always going to trump herbalist remedies when I’m dealing with a dog who can’t voice discomfort to me.

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i use earth animal topical during peak season and picaridin when going on long walks/hikes. i also have my dogs on prevention but the tick has to bite your dog to die so i try to prevent bites. i’m very cautious with application of picaridin but it’s basically the only thing that has 100% kept pests off my dogs. it works for the nasty mosquitoes in the south east where we currently live and it worked just as well for the year round ticks in maine.

ik a lot of people recommend wondercide but i haven’t had a whole lot of success with the brand. the home sprays they have are so greasy (i mean it’s mostly oils so duh lol) and aren’t as effective as the brand claims they are. i have also used their topical solution and 3 days after application i found lone star ticks on my dogs while we were camping in AR. earth animal is very similar but i’ve had success during the few months out of the year i use it.

Wildwash have a line of flea repellent products. I haven’t used them, but if they are as good as their regular shampoo is they will work well. Spraying your dog’s coat with apple cider vinegar before going out is also a good flea repellent and the smell of the vinegar disappears quickly. Billy No Mates is another good product, which you add to your dog’s food.

Ark Naturals Neem Protect shampoo (I think they even make a spray now). I use Wondercide Lemongrass repellent in my house.

I use vet prescribed flea medication on all my animals so it's hard to fully grasp how well the natural remedies work on their own ime.

None. I tried everything and finally settled on Bravecto. I swear there is some kind of new "super flea" out there and all of the others like Frontline, etc were not working anymore.

I’ve had success with brewer’s yeast in the past, but I understand it it doesn’t always work.

There are zero effective “natural” flea treatments for dogs. Please speak to your vet about an appropriate flea and tick preventative

Hey, fellow pet parent! Dealing with fleas and ticks can be a hassle, but I've got a couple of organic treatments that have worked for me. One option is using natural essential oils like cedarwood, lavender, or eucalyptus, diluted with water and applied to your pet's fur. Another popular method is utilizing flea and tick collars or spot-on treatments that are made from plant-based ingredients. Just make sure to read the labels and follow the instructions carefully. Remember, prevention is key, so regular grooming, vacuuming, and keeping your pet's living areas clean will also help in keeping those pesky critters away. Good luck in your search for an effective organic solution!

The issue with the newer medications is they can cause neurological symptoms in some animals. When you look at the study data of millions of animals, you are bound to see reactions, some severe, in any drug. That is what you see with the prescription flea and tick meds, a handful of animals that have adverse reactions. This is no different from any drug commercial you hear on TV, "and side effects can be headache, nausea, diarrhea, and death."

Wait, what? Death? Yes, because someone on the medication died and there was no clear evidence it was NOT related to the medication, the company has to list that as a possible side effect.

The bigger question you need to be looking at is the coverage and whether or not you need heartworm as well as flea and tick.

To that end, my girl gets Bravecto every three months, but only for nine months out of the year. I take my chances that the winter cold kills off the critters and her body gets a break from the medication.

I'd be curious if more people had opinions on this as well. I don't really have the $90 office visit fee, along with the probably couple hundred dollar prescription for the flea med the vet gives.

I’ve used frontline. It works fine

Simparica Trio and tick checks after walks for yourself and your dog.There's really nothing better than that as a combo. The tick checks get the majority of them, so my dog can't track them into the house (yuck) where they might get on me too. If one slips past me here and there and stays on him, no big deal - if they actually bite him, the Simparica Trio kills them.

There is no "natural" tick repellent for your dog that is anywhere near as effective or beneficial for your dog than a tick preventative medication. Please don't take that risk - I've seen dogs die of Lyme disease.

Simparica Trio monthly. Please don't fall for the marketing around "natural" solutions at the cost of your dog's wellbeing. They are not better for your dog.

Ver prescribed preventative. Nothing OTC

Simparica may not be a good choice for dogs prone to seizures…

Nexgard or another monthly oral preventative. We live in the woods so I use the Pet Life Unlimited herbal spray a few times a week as well, just to cut down on the number of ticks he brings home.

Yes, I spend a lot of time camping & hiking and always carry wondercide in my backpack and spray them before, during and after depending on the length.

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YES. Buy a dog safe bug repellent.